


A full heart, an even fuller stomach

by skyblxssom



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Gen, Slice of life sort of fic, Where Tsuna still draws people in with his cooking and just being a Very Good person
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 06:55:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16990164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skyblxssom/pseuds/skyblxssom
Summary: AU: Sawada Tsunayoshi was just your average twenty-five year old. He lives alone, has a decently paying job and can cook up delicious dishes. This is the tale of how home cooked meals weaved his life with the lives of others. (In which even in a Flameless world, Tsuna is still the Sky that draws everyone into its embrace)





	A full heart, an even fuller stomach

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hello there! This is my first try at this fandom after having lurked for quite some time now. This story is like a writing project of mine-- a practicing piece, if you will! This AU is based on various light novels I've read these past couple of months, so I'm trying to bring that same feeling into this!
> 
> I have a particular fondness for kind, caring Tsuna, which is going to be the main characterization I'll explore in this. I'm planning on touching on a different character each chapter, with my aim being to make this feel episodic. This is going to generally feel slice of life-ish, with no foreseeable action in the future. 
> 
> An important note is that there will not be any shipping in this. My goal is to explore friendship / family dynamics. Also, Tsuna is set to be twenty-five in this, with most of the characters being aged down or up to fit the ideas I have for them. 
> 
> With that out of the way, please enjoy this chapter!

**Karaage:** Karaage is Japenese style fried chicken. It is a great appetizer for your drinks, kids (and adults) friendly dinner and also a perfect small dish for your lunch box.

* * *

It had become somewhat of a routine, these days. Tsuna would wake up at five in the morning, wash himself up before making himself a simple breakfast. He would turn on the news as he reheated leftover rice, listening to the voice of the anchorwoman while he broiled a piece of mackerel and roll up some eggs. With some miso soup to round it all off, he would enjoy his breakfast at the dining table.

After that, he would wash up the plates before getting ready to work. Tsuna slipped into his favorite hoodie and a pair of jeans, grabbed his messenger bag and once he confirmed that he didn’t forget anything, he would leave his home.

Sometimes there was a bit of a change in his routine, mostly influenced by the weather. If it was a nice, sunny day, he’d take the usual route. Had it been raining, Tsuna would take a longer path to avoid the main roads. He didn’t want to get drenched by a speeding car prior to work, after all.

The journey from his home to Uncle Kawahira’s Bookstore took around twenty minutes. Tsuna worked with two other employees and Kawahira himself throughout the day, only taking a break during lunch hour and the occasional slow times. He was usually tasked in arranging the books, apparently having a keen eye and memory in remembering which titles belonged to which bookshelf.

Once the bookstore is closed for the day, Tsuna would return back home. Depending on what day it is, he might make a stop by the local supermarket to see what sort of deals that they have. If he felt particularly tired, he’d buy some discounted bento for dinner but for the most part, he like to put effort into making a home cooked meal.

Then at home, he’d cook up a simple dinner before taking a nice soak in the bath. Tsuna might spend the time prior to bed watching TV, catching up on some light reading or merely stare out at the night sky.

Tsuna’s gaze flickered to the framed picture on the family altar. The room was dim but the light from the moon managed to reflect her smile, dazzling in its beauty.

He returned it with a smaller, sadder smile of his own. The house never quite felt the same after his mother’s passing, but that was to be expected. Tsuna only had her throughout his life, who taught him everything that she knew—including her recipes.

Cooking was one of the ways that he could remember her by. Sawada Nana might have been an airhead at times but when it came to cooking, he firmly believed that very few people could top it. When he put on an apron and stand in the kitchen with her, it felt like those moments were the time he felt closest to her.

It ignited all the senses in its simplicity. The touch of her hands as she guided him on how to properly chop up a carrot. The sound of the pot bubbling away on the stove. The scent of cooked food wafting throughout their home. The sight of the plates prepared in front of them. The taste of a meal made from a mother’s love, filling more than just his stomach.

No matter how he felt at the time, just eating her meals filled his heart with warmth—something that he hadn’t experienced in a long while.

Did that make him pathetic? Maybe. It made sense that his world remained off kilter for quite some time after losing one of the constants in his life.

Tsuna stared at the moon for a while longer. That had been one of their things, too. During the nights where Tsuna had trouble sleeping, his mom would make them a mug of hot milk before they’d stare out at the night sky. Sometimes they could see stars as far as the eye can see. Then there were moments like this, where the moon dominated, enrapturing the attention of anyone who looked at it.

He wondered if his mom was looking at the same sight too. Maybe she had an even better view, up there.

His heart ached but the somber smile remained on his lips. Once he had his fill for the night, Tsuna retired to his bedroom, letting himself dream of gentle voices and a sense of longing for what had long passed.

* * *

Today should have been just like any other day. Wake up, get ready, go to work, get back home and then turn in for the night.

What Tsuna hadn’t accounted for was the sprawled body just outside his home when he returned back from the supermarket. He blinked for a moment, the suddenness just about sinking in, before he gasped and rushed over.

The brunette kneeled down, one hand shaking the figure – which looked to be a young man. What happened? Were they hurt? Unwell? Did he have to call an ambulance?

Tsuna froze at the low groan. “Um, excuse me? Are you alright?”

“… gry…”

That sounded like a word? “Could you repeat that?”

The guy moaned, slowly lifting his head. Now Tsuna could see that he had striking green eyes, a sharp contrast to his silver hair. Is that a natural color, he idly thought.

“Hun…gry…” he uttered, followed closely by a very noticeable growl. The stranger’s head dipped back down, leaving Tsuna to stare, perplexed by this turn of events.

So this guy was just hungry? To the point of collapsing? Tsuna sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. It really didn’t take long for him to come to a decision. Was it a smart choice? Probably not but it wasn’t like he could turn away from this.

“Say, I was about to make some dinner. Do you want to join me?” Tsuna thought he might have to coerce him a little more, but the silverette suddenly pushed himself up on his elbows, looking up at Tsuna with wide, hopeful eyes.

“Really!?”

Um, now how could he say no to those eyes? “If you don’t mind waiting for a bit…”

* * *

As Tsuna prepared the ingredients for dinner, he got to learn more about his impromptu guest. His name was Gokudera Hayato, half Japanese on his mother’s side who came to Japan from Italy. Currently, he was pursuing a double major in engineering and mathematics, an extremely impressive feat in his own personal opinion since he was _sixteen_. He lived on his own, had a sister who he seemed reluctant to talk in more detail on and was in the middle of a busy project.

“Guess I just forgot to eat. I was on my way to the store to finally buy something but—“ Tsuna wasn’t able to see it from the kitchen, but he imagined the other was embarrassed. Had they knew one another, he might have chastised him on that poor decision. As it was, he merely added an extra cup of rice into the rice cooker.

Tsuna looked at the ingredients, thinking for a moment.

“I suppose… we can go with that.” With a smile, he grabbed the packet of chicken meat and went to work.

Once upon a time, this dish had been something that he’d been afraid of making, because he didn’t like the splotches of oil bursting during the frying process. Now, the scent of freshly made chicken karaage made his mouth water. From the corner of his eye, he could see Gokudera peeking in, no doubt drawn in by the tantalizing scent.

“Just wait a little while longer. It’s almost done.” Tsuna said with a soft laugh. He expertly took out the chicken, letting it rest atop some kitchen paper to absorb the extra oil. In the mean time, he made a quick bean sprout salad to go with the meal.

Soon, they had a complete meal spread out on the table. Rice, chicken karaage, salad and soup. Delicious and filling, perfect for a hungry high school student.

Gokudera swallowed heavily at the food laid out, feeling his stomach growl once more. He only just about offered his appreciation before digging in.

“This is… so damn good!”

“Language,” Tsuna automatically responded, but he didn’t really mind it, not when Gokudera was attacking his meal with such gusto. He ate his own dinner at a more sedate pace, quietly watching the teen until he finished with his first bowl of rice.

Gokudera looked conflicted. Tsuna merely chuckled and asked, “Do you want seconds?”

He looked surprised at the offer. “Is that fine?”

“I made too much rice, anyway. I would much prefer it be eaten fresh right now,” Tsuna replied easily. It took a bit more assurance, but he refilled Gokudera’s bowl and his guest resumed eating.

What he made was a simple dish, one that he’d cooked many times in the past but for some reason… it just tasted better, today. Tsuna did nothing special to the rice, and the batter that he used was the same as it always been…

Tsuna looked at Gokudera, who genuinely looked like he was enjoying his meal. How long has it been, since he last ate with someone at this table? It was always just him and his mom, back then. Even when they had guest over, Tsuna had been too shy to join them at the table. It was only after everything’s been cleared that his mom would make them a meal to eat together.

What Tsuna liked the most was how happy his mom looked, when he managed to make something all by himself. He eyed Gokudera once more, his lips tugged into a small smile. He supposed that explained this feeling.

“Thank you for the meal. Bwah--!” Gokudera patted his stomach, looking immensely satisfied. “It’s been a long while since I last ate such delicious food! Oh—let me help with the dishes. It’s the least I could do for suddenly treating a stranger to dinner.”

“Oh no, that’s not necessary. You’re a guest at my home, Gokudera-kun,” Tsuna said with a shake of his head. There had been a bit of a back and forth, with Gokudera being surprisingly insistent. In the end, Tsuna relented and let him dry up the dishes after he washed them.

“Say Gokudera-kun. You mentioned that you lived on your own. What do you normally eat?” Tsuna didn’t question as to why he lived on his own. He mentioned having a sister before, so he assumed that at the very least, she’s his guardian. This living arrangement wasn’t necessarily uncommon, either.

“Ah—usually whatever’s at the cafeteria, and whatever’s cheapest at the store, I guess.” Gokudera carefully rubbed one of the glasses. “Don’t really have much time to do much of anything else.”

Tsuna tried to imagine where he was at sixteen years old. He had plenty of time to indulge in hobbies, and he usually spent it on learning different recipes to cook. It was a little worrying that Gokudera was busy to the point of skipping regular meals.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why did you pursue a double major? Isn’t one usually enough to get you by?”

It seemed that Tsuna had accidentally stepped on the proverbial landmine. The next thing he knew, he found himself bombarded by passionate explanations of UMAs—Unidentified Mysterious Animals.

“I’m sure they’re out there somewhere! I just have to learn on how to make a machine to attract them!” Gokudera said, clenching his fist. Tsuna watched on in fond amusement. “It’s my lifelong dream to study these beings! Just imagine—there might be a whole area where they live! I’ll be the first person to discover them!”

It was rather endearing, hearing him talk so passionately. Gokudera might be a genius, but it seemed he was still an excitable kid at heart with dreams to fulfill. He definitely had his life planned out much better than Tsuna had at his age.

“Well, that being said, you won’t be able to go far if you don’t get proper nourishment and rest, no?” Tsuna rested his elbows on the table, supporting his chin atop his palms. That seemed to pull the wind right out of his sails.

“I—uh, I’m doing just fine. This was just a onetime thing, anyway,” Gokudera replied, a hint of red creeping up his cheeks. Tsuna can’t help but chuckle softly. Just like before, a thought came to mind. It was something that he should probably contemplate more on, given the implications that it would carry but—

The memory of Gokudera’s expression as he ate his food flashed in his mind’s eyes.

“Say Gokudera-kun, do you want to come by here and eat dinner again, sometime?” Tsuna asked, still smiling.

Gokudera sported a stunned look. “I—it’s fine?”

Another soft chuckle. “Is that a question or an answer?” Tsuna didn’t know why he was offering this, but it just felt right at the moment.

The teen looked like he was mulling over it, which Tsuna didn’t blame him for. A sudden offer from a stranger you just met? Of course he’d be suspicious.

“If—if that’s alright with you, I’ll take you up on your offer!” After a stretch of hesitant silence, Gokudera gave his earnest reply. Tsuna beamed at that, feeling something warm curling in his chest.

After that, they went to exchange phone numbers.  
  
(“No need to call me Sawada-san. Just call me Tsuna.”  
  
“T-Tsuna-san, then.”)

Since it was getting late, Tsuna had offered to walk him home, but Gokudera insisted that he’d be alright. It wasn’t the first time he walked through the city alone at this time of night. A bit of a worrying thought, but Gokudera knew what he was doing.

Tsuna had, at the very least, accompanied him down the block before they parted ways. There was a bit of a spring to his step, a little hum beneath his breath. He couldn’t quite place as to why he felt unusually giddy like this, but it was better than a feeling of dull emptiness that tend to creep up when he least expect it to.

Gokudera mentioned that he could spare some time to come here on Wednesdays, so there was something to look forward to in the coming week.

This spur-of-the-moment decision might come to bite him, but for the time being, Tsuna’s mind was filled with recipes that he could make for dinner next Wednesday.

Up in the night sky, the stars twinkled.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So that's it for this chapter! Now, updates are going to be sporadic, as I'm busy with college but I'd like to try and not let too much time pass between the chapters. If you enjoyed reading it, I would appreciate some sort of feedback for it! Thank you for reading!


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